Packing and shipping container



Feb. 26, 1963 R. P. woJqlK 3,07

PACKING AND SHIPPING CONTAINER Filed Aug. '7, 1961 PMQ M AhfOFA/EyUnited States Patent Oiiice 3,979,661 Patented Feb. 26, 1963 3,079,661PACKENG AND SHIPPHNG CQNTAENER Richard P. Wc-jcik, Chicago, iii,assignor to international Harvester Company, Qhicago, Ill, a corporationoi New Jerse Filed Aug. 7, 1961, Ser. N 129,782

3 Claims. (Cl. 22--14) The present invention relates to packing andshipping containers, and, more particularly, to a paperboard cartonhaving an inner container for enclosing the packaged goods to beshipped.

' To safeguard the shipment of frangible and delicate devices, it isoften desirable to provide an inner compartment within a paperboardcontainen the said inner cornpartment containing the item to be shipped,and being suitably supported and spaced from the walls of the outercontainer or carton so as to be secure against damage during shipment.It is a prime object of this invention therefore to provide an improvedpacking and shipping container having an outer container and an innercontainer adapted to contain the article to be shipped in spacedrelation from the walls of the outer container.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved shippingcontainer having an inner container adapted to enclose an article to beshipped, the said inner container being suitably spaced, by means ofspacers, from the walls of the outer container.

A still further object is to provide an improved shipping containerhaving an inner packaging receptacle, the said receptacle beingconstructed of paperboard folded into a packaging container havingincreased strength qualities and including spacer provisions whichsuitably space the inner container from the walls of the outer containerso as to safeguard the article to be shipped from damage.

These and other objects will become more readily apparent from a readingof the description when examined in connection with the accompanyingsheet of drawing.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an inner packaging container;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of an outer container showing an innercontainer partially inserted within the outer container;

FIGURE 3 is a side-elevational view of an improved containerconstruction showing a portion of a wall broken away to disclose inelevation an inner container;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of a container blank;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a stiffener member; and

FIGURE 6 is an end-elevational view of an inner container.

Referring now particularly to FIGURE 2, an outer paperboard carton orpacking container is generally designated by the reference character it}and includes four upright side walls 11, a bottom wall 12, and topclosure flaps 13, all of conventional construction. Referring to FIG-URES l, 2, 3, and 6, an inner container or inner packaging carton isgenerally designated by the reference character 14. The inner container14 comprises side walls 15, 16, 17, and 13, which are positioned inrectangular or tubeshaped fashion. The peripheral edges of the sidewalls 15, 16, 17, and 18 have hingedly connected thereto flaps 19, 20,21, 22, 23, 2.4, 25, and 26, as best shown in FIG- URE 4. The flaps 19,2t), 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, and 26 are separated by means of slots 27 asindicated in FIGURE 4. The sides 15, 16, 17, and 18 are defined at theirouter edges by means of fold or score-lines 28 in the upper surface ofthe blank shown in FIGURE 4. The score-lines 28 are so spaced from theopposite ends of the blank to therefore provide the central panels 15,16, 17, and 18 which are the side walls in the assembled structure ofthe inner container 14.

To permit hinged folding of the side walls 15, 16 17, and 18, fold orscore-lines 28' are provided on the blank on a surface opposite to thesurface on which the scorelines 28 are provided. The score-lines 28'extend perpendicular to the lines 28 to permit folding of the wallsthrough 18 to, in effect, provide a tubular construction. Flaps 19through 26 are each provided with transversely extending fold orscore-lines 29 and which are parallel to the lines 28 in the blankcondition as shown in FIG- URE 4. The score or fold lines 29 and 30 areprovided on the side opposite to that on which the score-lines28 areprovided. The score-lines 29 and 30 of each of the flaps H through 22and the score-lines 2.9 and 30 on the flaps 23 through 26 are also inlongitudinal alignment respectively.

In the unbent or blank condition as shown in FIGURE 4, the score-lines215 and 3110f each of the flaps divide each of the flaps into portionsA, B, and an extension C. FIGURES 1, 2, 3, and 6 show the innercontainer of tubuiar form which is provided when the blank it) is foldedon-the score-lines indicated. The portions A are hinged or folded alongthe lines 23 which are the edge portions of the sides 15, 16, 17, and18. The portions A and B are folded along the score-line 29 to provideV-shaped ends 31, 32., 33, and 34, best shown in FIGURES 1 and 2,. Thesev shaped ends are, in effect, space-r members which project outwardlyfrom the sides 15 through 18. The V-shaped ends or spacer members 31through 34 each have an outer apical surface formed along thescore-lines 29 and, of course, also are provided on the inner side by aninner apical surface coincident with the score-line 21*. Rectangularstiffeners 35 are positioned so that the edges of the stiffeners 35 areseated within the inner apical surfaces of the V-shaped spacer ends 31through 34. The flap extensions C are then folded as indicated in thefigarea so that certain of the extensions C of each of the flapsoverlap. A paper tape 37 is secured to the ends of the blank to engagesides 15 and 18 for securing the inner container 14 in the assemblyshown. Staples 323 are then secured through the overlapping extension Cto provide a strong and secure inner container 14.

The positioning of the stilfeners 35 and securing of the staples 38, ofcourse, takes place after the article to be shipped has been packedwithin the inner container 14. The inner container 14 and the articletherein is then placed into the outer container 1 .1 whereupon the topflaps 13 are closed and the container is ready for shipment. It will beapparent that with the construction of the inner container, the articleWithin the inner container 14 is literally suspended within thecontainer 10 and completely removed from the sides 11 of the container10 so that damage to the container 10 is not necessarily imparted to thecontainer 14. in other words, there are voids about all of the sides ofthe inner container 14 since the outer apical surfaces of the V-shapedspacers 31 through 34 suitably space the walls 15 through 18 andopposite ends of the inner container 14 from the sides, bottom, and topof the container 19.

Thus it is apparent that a single blank with suitable stiffeners, asshown, provide an inner container 14 which is strong, simple toassemble, and which provides an effective spacer arrangement to keep thearticle which is packed in suspended and spaced relation within theouter container of the shipping unit.

it can thus also be seen that the objects of the invention have beenfully achieved and that an improved packing and shipping container hasbeen described. It must be understood that changes and modifications maybe made which do not depart from the spirit of the invention asdisclosed nor from the scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a container comprising a bottom, top, and four outer upright sidewalls, an inner packing enclosure within said container comprising fourinner side walls connected together to provide a rectangular tube withfour opposed edges, first and second opposed spacing structures for saidtube, each including flaps hingedly connected to and extending from eachof the opposite edges of said side Walls,

said flaps each having inner portions and outer flap extensions, saidinner portions being folded to provide 'V-shaped spacers having innerand outer apical surfaces,

said spacers extending longitudinally along said opposed edges, certainof said flap extensions being positioned in overlapping relation toclose said tube, means connecting said overlapping flap extensions, anda rectangular stiffener member on each structure spaced laterally fromand disposed between said edges and said extensions and being supportedat its periphery by the inner apical surfaces, the

tensions, said inner portions being folded to provide V-shaped spacershaving inner and outer apical surfaces,

said spacers extending longitudinally along said opposed edges, saidflap extensions being positioned to close said tube, means connectingsaid flap extensions, and a stiffener member on each structure spacedlaterally from and disposed between said edges and said extensions andbeing supported at its periphery by the inner apical surfaces, the outerapical surfaces of said spacer portions engaging said outer walls tospace said enclosure therefrom.

3. In a container comprising a bottom, top, and outer side Walls, aninner packing enclosure within said container comprising side wallsconnected together to provide a tube with opposed edges, opposed spacingstructures adjacent said opposed edges, said structures each includingflaps hingedly connected to said opposed edges, said flaps each havinginner portions and outer flap extensions, said inner portions beingdisposed in V-shaped relation providing inner and outer apicalsurfacesextending along and being spaced outwardly from said opposededges, a stitfener member for each structure, said stiffener memberhaving peripheral edges seated in the inner apical surfaces, and meansconnecting said flap extensions in laterally spaced and in parallelrelation relative to said stiffeners, said outer apical surfacesengaging certain of said outer walls to space said enclosure therefrom.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,808,833 Brack June 9, 1931 2,990,996 Powlenko July 4, 1961 FOREIGNPATENTS 84,326 Sweden Sept. 11, 1935 74,531 Norway Jan. 24, 1949

1. IN A CONTAINER COMPRISING A BOTTOM, TOP AND FOUR OUTER UPRIGHT SIDEWALLS, AN INNER PACKING ENCLOSURE WITHIN SAID CONTAINER COMPRISING FOURINNER SIDE WALLS CONNECTED TOGETHER TO PROVIDE A RECTANGULAR TUBE WITHFOUR OPPOSED EDGES, FIRST AND SECOND OPPOSED SPACING STRUCTURES FOR SAIDTUBE, EACH INCLUDING FLAPS HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO AND EXTENDING FROM EACHOF THE OPPOSITE EDGES OF SAID SIDE WALLS, SAID FLAPS EACH HAVING INNERPORTIONS AND OUTER FLAP EXTENSIONS, SAID INNER PORTION BEING FOLDED TOPROVIDE V-SHAPED SPACERS HAVING INNER AND OUTER APICAL SURFACES, SAIDSPACERS EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY ALONG SAID OPPOSED EDGES, CERTAIN OFSAID FLAP EXTENSIONS BEING POSITIONED IN OVERLAPPING RELATION TO CLOSESAID TUBE, MEANS CONNECTING SAID OVERLAPPING FLAP EXTENSIONS, AND ARECTANGULAR STIFFENER MEMBER ON EACH STRUCTURE SPACED LATERALLY FROM ANDDISPOSED BETWEEN SAID EDGES AND SAID EXTENSIONS AND BEING SUPPORTED ATITS PERIPHERY BY THE INNER APICAL SURFACE, THE OUTER APICAL SURFACES OFSAID SPACER PORTIONS ENGAGING SAID OUTER WALLS TO SPACE SAID ENCLOSURETHEREFROM.